What Happens When Millions of Jobs Are Lost Because of Automation?

Education for fifth job, not just first

Another key reform to make higher education relevant for the 21st Century workforce is to ensure that colleges and universities are not just training students, but educating them. Many colleges are chasing the latest and hottest career fields by creating new majors and programs narrowly tailored to get students a job right out of college. But in doing so, they are often paring back the liberal arts that supply students with the problem-solving abilities and communication skills critical to the workforce of the future.

Instead, our entire education system from primary school through college seems so focused on teaching skills that will be automated in the future. The jobs that are growing the most are those that require high social skills as well as analytical skills.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-happens-when-millions-jobs-lost-because-jeff-selingo?trk=eml-b2_content_ecosystem_digest-hero-14-null&midToken=AQEXp7fAMvGBUA&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=2eCwiuLAYmgno1

Kaji semula skim perkhidmatan pensyarah dan guru

Saya merujuk kepada berita dan Bisik-Bisik Awang Selamat (Utusan 13 Julai 2016) mengenai ucapan timbalan perdana menteri, Dato Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi semasa merasmikan sambutan Perayaan Hari Guru Peringkat Daerah Hilir Perak 2016 baru-baru ini di Bagan Datoh.

Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK) menyambut baik sarana Dato Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi supaya skim perkhidmatan para pendidik diletakkan pada paras lebih tinggi dari apa yang ada sekarang. GERAK amat setuju kedudukan para pendidik dikembalikan ke kedudukan lebih tinggi dan terhormat di pasada masyarakat seperti dahulu.

Semua pendidik yang terdiri dari guru di peringkat sekolah hingga pensyarah di peringkat universiti, memain peranan membentukkan para pemimpin dan profesional untuk masa akan datang. Para pendidik memang layak diberi imbuhan yang lebih tinggi dari apa yang mereka dapat sekarang.

GERAK mengesa semua skim perkhidmatan para pendidik (DG, DS, DH, DM, DU, DUG, DUF) ditambahbaikkan agar kita dapat mereka yang terbaik untuk menjadi guru dan pensyarah. Guru dan pensyarah terbaik nescaya akan menghasilkan pelajar dan graduan yang terbaik untuk negara.

Rosli H Mahat

Setiausaha Agung

Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK)

16 Julai 2016

Time to relook at the assessment of PhD

The past, present and future of the PhD thesis
http://www.nature.com/news/the-past-present-and-future-of-the-phd-thesis-1.20207?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20160707&spMailingID=51772103&spUserID=MjA1NTE2NjY5OAS2&spJobID=960792730&spReportId=OTYwNzkyNzMwS0

What's the point of the PhD thesis?
http://www.nature.com/news/what-s-the-point-of-the-phd-thesis-1.20203?WT.ec_id=NEWS-20160707&spMailingID=51777970&spUserID=MTc2NjE2MTIzMAS2&spJobID=960907569&spReportId=OTYwOTA3NTY5S0

Back to the thesis
http://www.nature.com/news/back-to-the-thesis-1.20202?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20160707&spMailingID=51772103&spUserID=MjA1NTE2NjY5OAS2&spJobID=960792730&spReportId=OTYwNzkyNzMwS0

AC: How are budget cuts affecting Malaysian public universities?

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/02/how-are-budget-cuts-affecting-malaysian-public-universities/

"However, one barrier to developing new ways to operate is the fact that universities themselves are not autonomous bodies. What courses universities offer, fees they charge, who they enroll, who they employ, and generally how a university operates is governed directly through the Ministry of Higher Education.

To a great extent, universities are limited in what they can do in Malaysia. The issue of autonomy and budget cuts is something that is yet to be addressed by the Government.

This has left some universities with very limited options. Some universities are letting go of foreign lecturers, cutting down on faculty operational costs such as stationary and air-conditioning, and travel, etc. These measures will not make up the budget shortfalls universities are facing and could seriously hamper the ability of Malaysian public universities to improve standards."

Kenyataan Media PKAUM

PERSATUAN KAKITANGAN AKADEMIK UNIVERSITI MALAYA (PKAUM)
Rumah Universiti, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03 -79677077
email: pkaum@um.edu.my    
Rujukan Kami : 006/PKAUM/14/16
Tarikh   : 17 JUN 2016
 
KENYATAAN MEDIA PKAUM

Beberapa penyelidik UM telah dituduh melakukan pengubahan kepada keputusan penyelidikan mereka di dalam beberapa penerbitan penyelidikan mereka (http://retractionwatch.com/2016/06/10/author-denies-accusations-of-blatantduplication/#more-41100). Lebih tepat lagi, mereka dituduh melakukan pengubahan imej pada keputusan penyelidikan mereka. PKAUM merasa amat gusar dengan pertuduhan ini.

Jika dakwaan itu terbukti benar, ianya adalah amat memalukan, bukan sahaja terhad kepada penulis yang tertuduh tetapi turut memberikan kesan yang negatif kepada reputasi Universiti Malaya. Manipulasi keputusan penyelidikan dianggap satu kesalahan yang amat serius dalam bidang akademik. Walau bagaimana pon, jika dakwaan tersebut didapati tidak berasas, tindakan susulan perlu diambil ke atas penuduh.

Melalui penubuhan panel penyiasatan seperti diumumkan, PKAUM menggesa pengurusan Universiti Malaya untuk menyiasat dakwaan tersebut dengan teliti serta telus. Nama baik mana-mana pihak yang tidak bersalah perlu dibersihkan. Pihak yang bersalah perlu didedahkan dan diberikan hukuman yang setimpal. Mudah-mudahan tindakan ini membawa keadilan kepada semua  dan mengembalikan kredibiliti kepada Universiti Malaya yang dicintai.  
 
Aznijar Bin Ahmad Yazid
Setiausaha PKAUM Sessi 14/16


PKAUM MEDIA STATEMENT  

A number of researchers affiliated with the University of Malaya has been accused of manipulating their research results in few publications (http://retractionwatch.com/2016/06/10/author-denies-accusations-of-blatantduplication/#more-41100). To be more precise, they were accused of duplication of images for their result. PKAUM view this with great concern. 

If the allegations are proven true, it would mean a great shame, not only limited to the authors but also impacts the University of Malaya. Manipulation of result is considered a major academic offence, a travesty in the noble profession. However, if the allegations are proven false, actions need to be initiated against the accuser. 

With the formation of an inquiry panel announced, PKAUM urges the management of the University of Malaya to investigate the allegations thoroughly and without favours. The good names of any innocent parties must be restored. Any guilty ones should be exposed and punished. Hopefully this action would restore justice and brings back some credibility to the blessed and beloved University of Malaya.      

Aznijar Bin Ahmad Yazid  
PKAUM Session 2014/16 Secretary

Kenyataan Media GERAK, 17 Jun 2016

 PERGERAKAN  TENAGA  AKADEMIK  MALAYSIA  (GERAK)

MALAYSIAN  ACADEMIC  MOVEMENT  (MOVE)

http://blogakademikmalaysia.blogspot.com/

email: akademikmalaysia@gmail.com

Member of Education International since 2009

KENYATAAN MEDIA

Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK) menyokong kenyataan Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik Universiti Malaya (PKAUM) mengenai tuduhan manipulasi hasil penyelidikan terhadap beberapa orang ahli penyelidik Universiti Malaya baru-baru ini.

Sebarang manipulasi hasil penyelidikan seperti memodifikasikan imej, adalah satu perbuatan tidak beretika yang amat berat. Boleh dianggap sebagai satu jenayah akademik.

Bagaimanapun perbuatan seperti ini bukanlah sesuatu diluar jangkaan. Para akademik dan penyelidik di universiti, terutama di universiti penyelidikan, adalah di dalam keadaan tertekan untuk menghasilkan makalah yang boleh menaikan ranking universiti. Bilangan yang diperlukan untuk pengesahan, kenaikan pangkat dan KPI asyik bertambah.

Pihak pengurusan Universiti Malaya mesti menyiasat sepenuhnya tuduhan ini. Pelaku mestilah dihukum tetapi yang tidak bersalah mestilah dilindungi. Maruah dan nama baik, bukan sahaja Universiti Malaya tetapi juga universiti-universiti Malaysia, bergantung kepada hasil siasatan ini. Untuk memberi keyakinan terhadap hasil penyelidikan, siasatan hendaklah dijalankan secara telus dan terbuka.

Pihak pengurusan universiti-universiti Malaysia mesti dedahkan staf mereka kepada konsep-konsep etika dan hak akademik. Para staf mesti berpegang teguh kepada integriti akademik yang tinggi. Ianya terlalu kompleks dan tidak boleh belajar sendiri. Bagi mana-mana pihak memerlukannya, GERAK amat sedia memberi bantuan. Memang menjadi perjuangan GERAK untuk mempertahankan hak akademik dan menegakkan integriti akademik.

Dikeluarkan bagi pihak GERAK oleh

Rosli H Mahat, Setiausaha,

17 Jun 2016

  

MEDIA STATEMENT

The Malaysian Academics Movement (MOVE) endorsed the statement made by the University of Malaya Academic Staff Association (PKAUM) on the recent allegation of research result manipulation by several researchers at the University of Malaya.

Any manipulation of research result including modifying images is seriously unethical. It could be considered as an academic crime.

However, such disgraceful act is not something unexpected. The university academics and researchers, especially those in the research universities, are always under pressure to produce papers to improve the university ranking. The numbers required for confirmation, promotion or KPI are always increasing.

The University of Malaya management must thoroughly investigate this allegation. The culprits must be punished but those who are innocent must be exonerated and protected. The honor and good name of not just the University of Malaya but also of Malaysian universities are dependent on the result of this investigation. The investigation must be transparent and open in order to provide confidence in the result of the investigation.

The management of Malaysian universities must expose their staff to the various concepts of academic ethics and rights. The staff must have a high level of academic integrity. It is too complex and cannot be self-taught.  If required, MOVE is ever willing to assist. It has been the struggle of MOVE to defense academic rights and to uphold academic integrity.   

Issued on behalf of MOVE by

Rosli H Mahat, Secretary

Should intellectuals engage with the public?

http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20160530142606345

Besides offering commentary on society and making knowledge accessible and relevant to the public, academics must be actively engaged with the communities and societies they are in. Knowledge has the potential to influence society and make changes. Universities should never again be ‘Ivory Towers’, with little relevance to the ‘real’ world.